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Our take: Spanier should take his leave

Past Penn State President Graham Spanier is being charged in relation to the Jerry Sandusky case. (Associated Press)

First, Graham Spanier was on sabbatical leave.

Then, he was placed on administrative leave.

Well, how about just plain leave?

As in: "I resign."

Or, failing that - sayonara.

Goodbye.

We regret to inform you...

Get out.

You're fired!

That last one was the fate of Penn State football coach Joe Paterno - and rightly so. The Freeh Report and testimony in the Sandusky case made it amply clear that the legendary coach - who in other respects was certainly a great man - did not do his duty to protect children from a predatory monster.

If there was enough evidence of dereliction of moral duty to fire JoePa, surely there ought to be enough to terminate Mr. Spanier.

Yes, he was removed as president of the university.

But he was also a tenured professor. When he moved out of the presidency he moved into a professorial position.

He was on sabbatical leave while the Sandusky case played out - and was slated to return to duties next semester.

After the announcement of the criminal charges by state Attorney General Linda Kelly, school officials said Mr. Spanier was placed on leave.

So he went from one paid leave to another paid leave.

What's the difference?

Mr.

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Spanier should simply leave his position at Penn State.

Disassociate himself from the university.

Do it for the good of the school - which, presumably, he loved during his 16 years at its helm.

Granted, his attorneys say he's innocent of the allegations that he essentially covered up Jerry Sandusky's crimes to protect the school - as do attorneys for Tim Curley and Gary Schultz.

They are all presumed innocent until proven guilty - and they can argue their innocence in court.

But as many JoePa apologists note, the coach was abruptly fired and didn't get the chance to defend himself in court (though it looks like he might have had he not died from lung cancer).

It seems like that should be the fate of Mr. Spanier as well - not moving from one paid leave to another paid leave.

He was one of the highest-paid public university presidents in the country. Surely he's amassed some significant resources during that time and can manage without a professor's salary and a university-aided legal defense.